Gang-rape of gang-rape victim: NHRC issues notice to Haryana govt

New Delhi, July 20 – The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Wednesday issued notice to the Haryana government over the gang-rape of a girl by persons who had gang-raped her three years ago.

BBC: Members of the Dalit community have protested against the rpeated assault on the woman

Taking cognizance of media reports on the issue, the commission observed that two of the five men, who were out on bail in the earlier case of gang-rape, were pressurising the victim’s family for an out-of-court settlement, but the girl’s family was refusing to accede to the demand.

The commission noted that the family and the victim were not provided any security by the state police.

The victim’s family was also getting threats from the men accused of already having gang-raped her. The family, therefore, shifted to Rohtak.

Two of the five men accused of sexually assaulting the girl in 2013 in Bhiwani, were arrested and recently came out of jail on bail.

They allegedly abducted the 21-year-old victim from near her college, where she is pursing Master’s degree, and again sexually assaulted her. She was left to die in an unconscious state and was spotted by a passerby and taken to a hospital.

The commission has observed that the incident paints a worrisome picture and reflects poorly on the law and order situation Haryana.

It also points to the failure of law enforcement machinery to provide adequate security to people in general and women in particular.

The commission has issued notices to the Chief Secretary and Director General of Police, Government of Haryana, calling for a factual report in the incident within four weeks, said a statement from the commission.

The state government had filed a case in the court for the arrest of the remaining three and re-arrest of the two accused released on bail.

Analysis: Geeta Pandey, BBC News, Delhi Nearly four years after the brutal gang rape and murder of a 23-year-old physiotherapy student on a bus in Delhi caused global outrage and brought India much infamy, it appears the authorities have yet to treat the issue seriously. The gang rape of the student in Rohtak, allegedly by the same men who raped her three years ago, is an example of how callously the authorities treat victims of rape. Questions are being asked about how the five men, who were accused of a serious crime like rape, were free to conduct another attack. There is also the question of why the victim and her family were not provided with any security when they said they had been threatened. Many are wondering if this barbaric attack will jolt the government into action in a country where, according to official statistics, a rape is recorded every 15 minutes. Her family has alleged that the attackers had been putting pressure on them to settle the case and were punishing the woman for pursuing it in court. A local police official Garima, who uses only one name, told reporters that they had registered a complaint and a team had been sent to Bhiwani to look for the accused men. Meanwhile, angry protests have been held in Rohtak, demanding immediate arrest of the accused men. Rape and gender crimes have been in the spotlight in India in recent years after the brutal gang rape and murder of a student in 2012 in Delhi. In response, tough new anti-rape laws were introduced in the country. However, brutal sexual attacks against women and children continue to be reported across the country .